It is known to “link” gaming machines to provide a number of additional functionalities. This includes the ability to control the awarding of a prize, as the pool of available funds is greater and the amount of funds available is known rather than having to be estimated. Another functionality of interlinked gaming machines is that secondary gaming is possible in which a jackpot prize is available to be awarded. For example, for a given group of interlinked gaming machines, a central display provides the garners with a visual indication of an accumulating amount that is being incrementally increased as the garners operate the interlinked gaming machines. It is known by the garners that the prize will be awarded when it is incremented to a randomly selected value that is less than a predefined value. Typically, the predefined value will also be visually indicated to the garners by the display.
It is also known to provide a number of jackpot “prize levels”, in that a plurality of jackpot prizes is simultaneously available to be awarded to the garners of the machine participating in the secondary game. Typically each level is defined by a range from which the respective prize value is randomly chosen, and the ranges of the levels can but often do not overlap. As the gaming machines are operated to allow the garners to play the respective primary games a contribution of each wager made in the primary game is contributed to the secondary game. The contributions are provided by the individual gaming machines to a jackpot controller as part of respective input signals. The jackpot controller is responsive to the input signals for providing an increment signal for each prize level which, in turn, increments the respective accumulating amounts for those levels toward the respective prize value for that level. Once a given accumulating amount reaches the prize value for the given level, the respective prize is awarded and a new prize value is selected for that level and the increments of the accumulating values continue.
The use of such functionality is intended to provide additional impetus to the garners to play the machines and thereby win the jackpot prize in addition to any prize available to be awarded by the respective machine. However, with the increasing sophistication of the gainers and their approach to gaming, the interest in the jackpot prize has diminished.
The use of levels is easily applied to larger gaming venues where there are many gaming terminals in use at any given time. The volume of wagers ensures that prizes are awarded regularly, and that the value of the prizes—which are usually randomly determined—for each level quickly approaches the average of the range defined by the respective level. However, for smaller venues particularly, where wagers are usually lesser in number and quantum, it takes longer for prizes to be awarded and longer for the average prize value awarded for each level to approximate to the average of the range defined by the respective level. This can lead to difficulties for the operating in managing costs and maintaining a payout percentage to the gamers during the lower turnover periods.
The discussion of the prior art within this specification is to assist the addressee understand the invention and is not an admission of the extent of the common general knowledge in the field of the invention and is included without prejudice.